By Jahziah Defoe, Westside Gazette Intern
In late August of 2005, recent college graduate Yasmin Gabriel never thought that her world would be turned upside down. August 23, 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit and destroyed the city of New Orleans leaving the people to fend for themselves. After coming home and seeing the damage, she didn’t shut down. She pivoted and dedicated her time to documenting the struggle of college students who survived, so that no one’s story was lost. She had a calling, a check, and a camera, to document “Picking Up The Pieces”.
“Picking Up The Pieces, Life After Katrina” is a documentary highlighting the struggles of college students who were affected and displaced by Hurricane Katrina. It shares their reactions to seeing their homes destroyed after staying behind later entering school as displaced students while having major dissatisfaction towards the government and the media. Behind the eye-opening film is Yasmine Gabriel; a sixth generation New Orleanian who is a single mother of two children. Along with the documentary, Yasmin aims to encourage “decolonizing your diet”. A way to eat healthier and build a body to secure a healthy and long lifestyle.
Life Before Katrina
Before Katrina, Yasmin says she was a “typical American”. She found herself being a consumer in the world, not interested in understanding everything that was taking place around her. On the path to being a plastic surgeon she was planning to go to medical school. “I knew black people didn’t like the way they looked… so I’ll help them look the way they want to look”. She knew it wasn’t the right motive, and it wasn’t her passion.
The Storm and The Calling
Yasmin’s mom had no intention of leaving. Yet at 4 o’clock in the morning Yasmin was able to persuade her mom that it was time to go. “I have some money, come with me… let’s head to Atlanta”; but they didn’t make it to Atlanta. They ended up at a hotel in Jackson, Mississippi to ride out the storm. All she could do was watch as the hurricane destroyed her home. However, Yasmin did not let that control her, she found a different outlook that helped her persevere then and now: there is no point in staring at the shattered pieces, she thought about others and how she could help.
Picking Up The Pieces
Yasmin found herself on the phone with her property inspector. After starting a conversation beyond what’s scripted, he asked her “Are you frustrated? Well, what are you going to do? These people need to have their stories told.” She bought a camera and headed home to make a difference. She didn’t have a plan, just a calling. With the idea of going home, she saddled up in a van with Ms. Adriane, an older lady who was a friend of her mother, and Ms. Adriane’s sister. “At that time, people weren’t putting their money where their mouth was, because no one was helping” so Ms. Adriane wrote her a check. Yasmin didn’t know if it was good or bad and had no intentions of cashing it, but she was grateful for it either way. Two days later, Ms. Adriane passed away. Ms. Adriane was a constant reminder of the work that Yasmin would continue to accomplish.
Throughout the rest of the film making journey Yasmin was encouraged by those who saw the purpose in her work. She learned what she could from film school and entered spaces with people who would help catapult her project further. She used her money to travel and conduct interviews, paying whoever she could help her. She worked in studios, forged relationships, and earned a $5000 check from Warrick Dunn that brought her to the finish line. She knew her vision and she did whatever she could to follow through.
Impact
Yasmin screened her documentary this year on August 25th in New Orleans. There she introduced herself, her film, and a part of her lifestyle. She replaced traditional movie theater snacks with healthier alternatives like vegetables. Audience members sharing that it helped them realize they need to make the switch to better foods in order to feel and be their best self. Not only does Yasmin hope the experience changes perspectives, but also that people leave with more knowledge of how they can better prepare themselves, before other disasters strike. Lessons she highlights are getting renters insurance, ensuring all your contents are sured. “We can’t always go out and replace items if things happen”. She emphasizes this lesson for college students, since they don’t always have the money or resources to pay for replacements. She also encourages young people to look at loan terms and work on changing legislation to extend beyond the current period it is today. And most of all Yasmin says be resilient and always ask the right questions.
What’s Next
Katrina led Yasmin to change the course that she was taking in life. Then, she knew that “it was important to share the story beyond what the media covered, inform on the HBCU’s helping out, and the process of college students rebuilding.” Today, Yasmin is a part of a movement called Decolonizing Your Diet. She is currently writing two children’s books with her kids called “Plant-Based ABC’s” and “Plant-Based Party” to bring awareness to plant-based foods and how they can be prepared.
Yasmin’s story is one of redirection, dedication, and change. She shows that no matter where you are in life, you can be the change you want to see and always pursue it.
